1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to databases. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for modifying a row in a database to include meta-data.
2. Related Art
Database administrators and application developers often find the need to tag rows in database tables with information related to the rows. For example, an administrator may find it useful to know when data was inserted into a database table, or when a row in a database table was last updated. This information can serve various purposes, and is especially useful for facilitating auditing operations and performing security tasks.
One common method for tagging rows in a database table involves inserting an additional column into the database table. The additional column can be used to store any type of information related to rows in the table that an administrator or an organization may need. However, there is presently no easy way to ensure the integrity of the data in the additional column without a significant amount of additional effort. Any user who has access to the database table can alter the data in the additional column, which can cause security problems that can mitigate the benefits of using the additional column.
Hence, what is needed is a method for associating information with data in a database table without the above-mentioned problems.